My love for Dungeons & Dragons began in 1989 with the D&D Basic Set, also known as the Red Box. I’ve been playing in and running games ever since, but in my 30 years of gaming the latest and 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons is by far my favorite.

What really captures my imagination about the game is it’s malleability: Players are encouraged to do whatever they can possibly imagine. The paradox of having such an extensive and comprehensive rule set that manages to encourage creative solutions and improvised situations is the core of the game’s appeal. The opportunity to tell a story, to speak in a silly or dramatic voice, to describe just how the blade cleaves the ogre, or to engage with the absurd magical weirdness of the game world, these are things truly unique to pen and paper role playing games that I will never tire of.